The Hong Kong Police Force’s Kowloon West crime squad announced on Sunday that they have dismantled a fraud syndicate responsible for a series of telephone scams. Over the course of a multi-month investigation, authorities arrested 17 people linked to the operation. The police reported that the group successfully defrauded 22 victims of approximately HK$2.5 million between June and August of this year. The largest single loss reported by a victim was HK$700,000.

According to investigators, the syndicate employed a specific tactic known as 'guess who I am' scams, where perpetrators call victims and impersonate acquaintances or family members in distress to solicit emergency funds. A notable aspect of this operation was the recruitment of foreign 'runners' from Malaysia, who were tasked with physically collecting the proceeds of the crimes from the victims. During the enforcement action, police seized HK$3.67 million in cash, which they believe is tied to the syndicate's illicit activities. The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to examine the network's structure and the involvement of the foreign nationals recruited for the scheme.